Impassable streets mean slow day for area restaurants

By Rodney Richey, Herald Bulletin Staff Writer

ANDERSON — People gotta eat.

That was the issue facing those working in restaurants around the area Wednesday. Deep snows and slick roads made it an uphill battle for those who serve food for a living.

Making it worse: Some potential customers might not venture out into streets drifted shut.

Zach Hathcoat, who works at Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon on 60th Street, off Interstate 69, had begun at 10 a.m. Wednesday to dig out his car, in order to get to work by noon.

“It wasn’t too bad once I got dug out,” said Hathcoat, a Markleville native. “The roads were drivable.”

Hathcoat lived in the Pendleton area during the February 2007 blizzard.

“I was snowed in for three days that time,” he said. “This is a lot better.”

On a normal day, Hathcoat explained, Lone Star might have a lunch rush of 70 or 80 customers.

For Wednesday’s noon hour, he said, business was “down, real down. We have about 20 customers right now.”

Bill Adams, manager of Lone Star, said the morning and the noon hour were the worst.

“Oh, it’s hurting us,” said Adams, who added that Lone Star opens for business at 11 a.m.

“I’d say we’ve got about six tables in right now. And that’s more than I expected at this moment, because all the snow guys are having problems, too, because it’s so deep.”

And what had customers been ordering the most?

“The soups,” Adams said. “Steak Soup. Chicken Pot Pie Soup. They’ve been ordering them a lot this week, but especially today.”

Sam Petropulos, manager of Eva’s Pancake House, said street conditions had affected his business, which hits its peak in the mornings.

“There are fewer people,” Petropulos said. “Normally, we’re busier than this.”

Customers had told him conditions were improving by the noon hour. “They’ve been having some difficulty on the streets, but it’s better than it was.”

Leisa Swider of Dunkin Donuts on Jackson Street also said business had been slower than usual, after the store’s 5 a.m. opening.

“The mornings are usually one of our busiest times,” Swider said, adding that a normal 15-minute drive to work had taken her 45 minutes.

“Surprisingly, though, we did have people coming in, and that shocked me. The roads were just horrible.”

The worst of Wednesday had not hit yet for Kelly Roney and the staff at the Pizza King restaurant on Nichol Avenue.

Roney said the place had served only one in-store customer since opening at 11 a.m. There had been five phone calls, however, asking if pizzas were being delivered yet.

“Once 4 o’clock hits, once we start delivering, then we’ll be busy,” Roney said. “It’ll get really busy.”



Contact Rodney Richey at 640-4861 and rodney.richey @heraldbulletin.com.





Comfort food

Crock Pot Turkey Chili

Use turkey, which is a leaner alternative to ground beef.

2 pounds ground turkey

1 cup chopped onion

4 large garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 cup green peppers, diced

1 cup chicken broth

2 teaspoons dried cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 can refried beans

2 15- to 16-ounce cans of kidney beans (not drained)



In a large skillet, brown ground turkey and drain. Add all ingredients to crock pot except the can of refried beans.

Cover and cook on low for 2 hours. Add refried beans to chili for thickening. Cover and cook on low for an additional 2 hours.

— FamousChiliRecipes.com



Cheesy Beef Tacos

This recipe takes 20 minutes and makes 12 tacos.

1 pound ground beef

1 cup Pace Mexican Four Cheese Salsa con Queso

12 taco shells

1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce

1 medium tomato, chopped

Cook beef in a 10-inch skillet over medium high until beef is well browned. Pour off fat.

Add salsa con queso, cook until mixture is hot and bubbling.

Warm taco shells according to package directions.

Divide meat mixture among taco shells. Top with lettuce and tomato.

— campbellkitchen.com

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